This is because not only can the questions in the exam include that data, but the exam will require students to use statistics in their answers. So it is your responsibility to keep track of them.
Why not just learn the statistics prior to the exam? That may work, but if you are following developments closely then you will gain a deeper understanding of what they mean and the significance of changes. This will help improve your answers and help you move up the rankings. Remember it is the top 10% who get 40+.
Another group of people who follow the statistics closely are the Reserve Bank of Australia (RBA). They have responsibility for keeping inflation between 2 and 3% and they adjust interest rates in order to do this.
Changes in interest rates (monetary policy) take 18 months to two years to affect the inflation rate. Therefore the RBA must look carefully at trends in the data, such as unemployment, the exchange rate, wage costs and domestic and foreign demand in order to predict future inflation and so policy changes. This makes them an excellent source of information on the data and they provide a commentary on the state of the Australian economy.
Each time the RBA make a decision on interest rates (once a month) they issue a statement. Make a habit of reading this and understanding what they are saying. The article from The Age below guides you though the latest one by putting it into plain English.
The RBA also provide a useful 'Chart Pack' undated around once every three months which provides excellent information.
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